A Dream in Reality
by sRoze
Summary: A painted scene of the Perfect Ending in FFX2. Her journey began with the hope she could find her dream, and it ended when the dream came back to reality, to her. OneShot


Oh wow. It's been so, so long ago since I last updated anything in FFnet. I found myself new obsessions! One ofthe current 'it'pairs is Tidus and Yuna, originally appearing in **Final Fantasy X**. Their story has been sweet, youthful and ultimately tragic.

And **Final Fantasy X-2 **came, with more revealing fashion and another of my favorite couple, Shuyin and Lenne. Below is the 'painted' scene of the Perfect/Ultimate ending for the game. I saw both the original Jap and dubbed versions of that scene, and decided that the Jap one has more realism and emotions to it.

I didn't exactly like how it ended, because it was so… incomplete. And so I ventured out to portray the original, Japanese scene, using some translations from the English-dubbed one.

Had to get it off chest, blah.

Disclaimer: I can't even say the plot's mine, bleh. Except maybe the ending, heh.All FF characters here belong to Square-Enix.

Warning: Spoilers, of course! I have never played an FF game in the whole of my life, FFX and FFX-2 not excluded. So, if my depictions of Tidus and Yuna seem inaccurate to you, I apologize! Please do try to enjoy it anyway!

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**The Perfect Ending – A Dream in Reality**

by sRoze

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I gazed at his achingly familiar back as we stood at the cliff overlooking the ruins of Zanarkand; the very same cliff we had rested on before battling Sin. The orange skies, tinted with wisps of blue and pink, were ready for nightfall to descend. Not too far away, the sounds of waves crashing onto the Zanarkand shores were calming.

Two years. It had been two years. All this while, I had learned to live again, without him by my side. I'd learned to loosen up, I'd become stronger, both in body and in spirits. I lived life again, without once forgetting the man I gave my heart to, without once giving up hope that he'd return.

And now… he was standing rightbefore me, golden hair ruffling as the evening wind enveloped us in its warm embrace. Yet, it had been so long ago since I last heard his voice, last touched him, last saw his smile, last held him…

Emotions choked me. Two orbs of tears fell, one after another, from the irises of blue and green. I swiftly wiped them away, not wanting to ruin this tranquil moment.

"I have a theory."

I shot up. He spoke with quiet confidence, a voice I had long since heard in reality, but always, always appearing in my dreams. _Dreams… the irony…_

"The fayths gathered my thoughts, collected my emotions and put me together." He breathed, stretching his arms high. "Maybe. Something like that."

A small smile crept onto my face. I opened my mouth to say something, but stopped. It didn't seem like he was finished.

"Or maybe," he continued after a while, tones lower. He brought both his hands up and studied them, half expecting to be able to see through them again. "Maybe, I'm still a dream," he said, voice tinged with traces of regret and sadness.

"Then! You might disappear again… sometime…?" The question left my lips even before my thoughts could process what he said.

There was a moment of silence. The distant waves seemed almost deafening. The words sank in. I could barely hold my own emotions; I was so confused. All I knew, at that moment, was that I never, ever want to lose him like how I did two years back. As strong as I've grown throughout the years, I knew I'd not have the strength to carry on living if he was cruelly taken away from me, again.

I stared at his back. It looked solid, but… could it fade like how it did when I tried to hug him, two years ago? The memory of it all came flooding back. A dull ache spread across my chest; I felt like I couldn't breathe.

He grasped his hands, and a while later let them fall to his sides. Then, he turned to me. There was a flicker of _something_ in that serene expression; something I couldn't well place, yet it felt oddly reassuring.

"If I cherish Yuna, and if Yuna cherishes me," he began, his words bringing a light glow on my face. He took a few steps forward. "Then I guess, with that, everything will be alright, yeah?"

He paused, looking at me, grinning just a bit. Then, cocking his head with a smirk, he turned towards the setting sun again.

The harsh look my questioning eyes must have worn softened. He spoke with such conviction and self-assurance that I could believe him. I _wanted _to believe him, that he'd never leave me anymore. I wanted to believe him, that by simply cherishing him he'd always be there. I wanted to believe him so much…

… _Maybe, I could…_

I burst out running towards him, the memory of falling through air evaporating in my mind. I hit a firm back, and quickly, my arms circled his waist as if afraid he might fly away. His hands moved to hold mine.

I rested my head on him. "The fayths told you that?"

"Nah… but I like it!" His voice was lined with mischief.

I giggled quietly. It's been so long since I heard that cheeky tone of his. He started too, a soft chuckle that quickly turned into bright, contagious laughter ringing loud around the empty cliff.

He doubled over at his small joke, not realizing that I had withdrawn my hands. Without warning, I shoved him as hard as I could, and in wicked satisfaction I watched him stumbled into the calm waters a short way below.

He emerged almost immediately, sprinkling droplets of water as he shook his hair. "That's not cherishing!" he chided, playfulness evident in his underlying tones.

I smiled. I had to. "You didn't disappear, huh."

He looked at his hands, and raised them up to me. "Uh-huh!" he enthused, blue eyes twinkling.

I smiled at him once more. Then, I looked straight ahead. The outlines of the Zanarkand ruins glowed pink as the retreating sun cast the last of its rays onto Spira. Resting my gaze on the horizon, I breathed a sigh.

I started this journey, searching for a lost dream. The dream ended in reality for me, and this time, reality could never be any more beautiful.

Maybe, I was selfish. Back then after he left, I knew things weren't much, and I consoled myself that it was enough. But… but if I hadn't been this selfish to go on a quest to find him, I'd never be as happy as I feel now. I never would have found love.

And for that, I was grateful. To have him back, to be finally home, with him.

His gleeful laughter below reached me. I looked down. He was floating on his back, hands clasped behind his neck. A nearby frog croaked loudly, and jumped _over_ him into the water. He gave a surprised yelp and dove in to try to catch it.

I laughed softly at the comical sight. A wistful smile then crept onto my lips. I knew he was happy too. To be back, to be home, with me.

What he said just now came back to me like whisperings in the wind.

"If I cherish Yuna, and Yuna cherishes me…"

Somehow, that didn't seem too hard. I went through so much just to see you, Tidus. Now I got what I wanted, and more. Cherishing you wouldn't be hard, at all.

You will cherish me too, won't you?

Let's make this alright, okay? Together, let's make this a reality…

A reality for me, a reality for you.

A reality, for both of us.

A reality… for life.

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**The End **

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(Posted on 6/7/06 5.30PM)


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